Subject Matter
by Mikaela's Spade
Summary: Everyone has their little escape. Don, the lab, Mike, the jokes, Raph, the midnight ventures. What does Leo have, other than constant practice and worry? Leo-centric, OC involved, plants and tea. R&R please!


Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT, or any affiliates thereof, no matter how many times I've wished to the cartoon Gods. I do own my original characters, and maybe this plot. Enjoy!

P.s. Leonardo may be OOC since it's been forever and a day since I've seen the series, and all I've got access to is fanfiction and the official website. Eeesh. Just don't kill me ok?

P.P.s: This is from Mikaela's POV, as usual.

Again, it was raining. I was doing the usual, chilling in my loft and painting. This time, however, I had a new subject matter to toy with.

Leo.

It's funny. The artistic inspiration I'd been slowly losing had been sitting under my nose all this time- the four brothers and their father. I had done several portraits and action-sequences of Splinter and the other three, but Leonardo, the ever vigilant, had always eluded my grasp. I had to practically hog-tie him before he gave in to a portrait. Which soon turned into three. I was finishing up on the last one, just adding the subtle highlights and shadows that give the subject the vibrancy and life they possess in the real-time world.

The painting was simple, modest, even. I favored it over the others because of the intense emotion that reeled off of it. To describe, it had Leonardo leaning his head against my window-wall gazing out into the rain; a profile shot of him with his eyes closed and an expression of world-weariness playing over his features, forehead pressed against forearm, the lightning and rain casting their brilliance and darkness against his deep green skin. I do think this was one of my better works.

"How much longer do I have to stay like this Mika?" Leo asked irritably. I rolled my eyes.

"As long as it takes Leonardo." I smiled, understanding his impatience. "I'm almost finished okay? Just a few more details, then you can stretch."

"Stretch?" He said, rather exasperated. "I want to get out of here and get back to the Lair! I do have practice, you know!"

Sigh. Ah, the eternal practice of the leader-san. Sometimes I wondered if that guy EVER took a break, or found something other than ninjitsu to focus his attention on. Like cooking, or writing, or even sewer-sledding! He had promise as a Salsa-dancer, why wouldn't he take Ana up on her offers to teach? I'll probably never figure this one out.

"Okay, you're done." I said with flourish, signing my name on the lowest part of the left corner. Leonardo eased himself out of the awkward position I'd placed him in, stretching in preparation to leave via rooftop. I sighed.

"Leo, would you at least stay for a cup of tea or coffee? You're making me feel like a terrible hostess, and because you don't come to the club as much as your brothers do, that makes me feel worse." I concluded, giving him the fish-eyed look. "Please stay for a few minutes?" I pleaded. I wanted to get to know this guy better. His brothers were easier to understand, but this one was quite the enigma. Sure, his surface was for the most part calm, quick thinking, and strong- but there seemed to be more to him than met the eye. Donnie and Mike didn't have much to volunteer about him, save for his excellence as a Leader of the pack, and Raphael didn't say much more than that Leo annoyed the piss outta him. I didn't dare approach Splinter on the subject of his sons, so that left most of the discovering up to me.

For his part, Leonardo looked semi irritated. I knew he wanted to get back to his katas and ninjitsu practice, and I knew that being here in a human area made him nervous.

"I may be able to spare about a half hour, but no more than that, okay?" Leonardo relented, looking unhappy. I was pleased.

"I'll go make some tea, ok?" I piped gaily, sweeping off to the kitchen. "Just make yourself comfortable on the couch!"

I got out the electric teapot, various teabags (I like Darjeeling the best), sugars and creams, set the lot on a plain tray I dug out of one of the drawers, and carefully walked back into the living room. Leonardo was seated, albeit stiffly, on my couch like I asked. I set the tray down and seated myself on the opposite end of the couch from him.

"Water's boiling." I announced, claiming a relaxed posture, half facing him, half facing the window. I frowned. "Relax will ya? I'm not going to bite, spit, hiss, scratch, or do anything you might be thinking of!" He loosened his posture a fraction. Fine, if that was all I was going to get…

**Whap!**

Leo looked at me incredulously. I grinned sneakily, another couch pillow at the ready. Slowly a smile crept over his features as the teapot whistled. I got up off the couch and started to the kitchen.

**WHAP!**

I laughed. "Finally! He relaxes!" I tossed the pillow he'd thrown at me back at him. "I'll be right back. Put on some music, eh?" I grabbed the teapot and went back to the couch, drawn by the incredibly odd selection the 'fearless leader' had chosen.

"I didn't know you liked Hawkins." I said, incredulous. I thought, truly, that I was the ONLY wacko within a radius of the world that like Sophie Hawkins! I also thought it weird because most of her songs were centered on love, sex, and revenge and stuff.

Weird.

"So…" I said, trying to fish out an opening for conversation. "Do you have any hobbies?"

"Um…" Leo floundered. I don't think he was expecting that question. "Well, obviously, I practice my ninjitsu, I enjoy reading old world history, and I enjoy meditation a lot." He said shyly.

"That's cool." I said, blowing on my tea. Too freaking hot to drink. "Do you like to do anything else?"

"Well…" Leonardo trailed, scrutinizing me. "I had a banyan tree I took care of. That is, until one of Mikey and Raph's stints killed it." He said bitterly.

"You've got my condolences, friend." I sympathized, reaching over to pat him on the shoulder. "I've made many a painting that's been torn to shreds by Rookie, over there. As much as I love that darn cat, he does some things that're unforgivable." I smiled. "So you're into horticulture!"

Leo nodded.

"Yeah, I like plants. Master Splinter always had an herb garden for poultices and special uses, like when we'd get sick, or hurt. He'd give Donnie, our resident medic, some to work with." He paused. "I think the first time I got really hurt, and Sensei used those herbs, started my passion for flora."

I nodded thoughtfully. Made sense. I'd been doodling since I could hold a pencil, but it was my father who truly fueled my artistic talent.

"Do you have a garden anymore?" I wondered, eyes querying over the rim of my teacup.

"No, I quit trying to grow things down in the sewers. They never got enough light, enough warmth, enough of anything to sustain them, and with Mike and Raph around, constantly pranking, their lifespan was even less." He shrugged. "So more or less, I've given up on it. Gave me more practice time anyway."

"But would you ever start up again?" I asked, mind whirling with possibilities. "Say you were given an adequate space, and opportunity?"

"I would say yes," He replied, sipping at his tea, "But because of the new activity going on, and the possibility that I wouldn't always be there to care for them pretty much rules that out. I would love to, if I could."

"Come with me." I said, mischievously, strolling to and up my staircase. Leonardo followed, curious of my intent.

I opened up the bay doors that accessed the roof. It was all to me since I had the topmost floor and paid extra to management! I walked out onto the wooden deck I'd installed and turned the corner of my bedroom's outside wall. It wasn't much, but I had a somewhat large patch of dirt, several troughs of soil and one sorry looking Asian tree sitting in a patch of sunlight.

"This is my garden." I said, embarrassed at the state I'd let it fall to. "I haven't been having very much luck, or time, in caring for it. Would you like to?"

"These plants need some serious care." Leonardo said, almost as if I hadn't spoken.

"So… take care of them!" I exulted. "This little patch of heaven is now yours. I haven't the time or patience to care for them, and I know you would enjoy it."

Leonardo faltered.

"I'm not sure I can accept this. With the recent events…"

"Bullshit, Leo!" I cut in sharply. "You said you'd love to get back to gardening, and I gave you the opportunity!" I snapped, causing him to flinch. "Take it!"

Leonardo looked at the poor plants and flowers that blatantly needed caring for. He reached out to stroke the petal of an iris that was gradually wilting. I cringed. I felt awful for letting my garden go to shambles, but here was a chance, to give someone back a part of his self that would also be beneficial to me! Selfish, I know, but it felt right.

"Okay." He whispered, gazing at each delicate plant that desperately needed his help, love, and care.

"All right!" I shouted, startling him. "I've got fertilizer, I think I have plant food somewhere in the shed over there, gardening tools too, sprinklers and spray bottles…" I rattled off my list while going inside, ticking everything off on my fingers. I looked up at Leonardo.

"Is there anything else you need?" I grinned, "I figure, since you're my unofficial gardener, you've got some things you need…?"

"Well…" Leo began, "I'll need more seeds and soil, since some of your plants are actually dead, and the soil is completely de-nourished. I'll need stakes and twine, maybe some new pots for the plants, and a small radio."

"What's the radio for?" I blinked. Never heard of that before, plants with a radio?

"Plants grow stronger and healthier when exposed to positive sounds. Classical music did wonders for my tree." He said, smiling. He looked genuinely happy that he had a garden of his own!

That made me feel good as I wandered around the plant shop later. Donnie had his lab, and Lily for company, Raph had his spot at the club, and Mikey had his iguana- and Leonardo had had nothing but his katanas and practice. Now it was complete, Leonardo had his garden finally.

Later that evening, as me and Leo were working up a sweat moving plants, pots, fertilizer and soil around, raking and tilling the ground until it was to his liking, I was struck with inspiration.

I'd been sitting back on my heels, watching him carefully set an iris bulb into a shallow hole, and cover it with rich, new soil, bathed in the fabulous sunset (this weather here is unable to make up it's damn mind). As he reached over to lovingly spray a climbing red ivy, the sun struck him at the perfect moment. I was frozen in shock of the complete aura of peace I was seeing. A small, gentle smile graced his completely relaxed and open face, blue eyes lit with an inner glow, the red ivy translucent in the sunlight, water sparkling rainbows all around.

I made sure that memory was impressed forever in my mind, as brief as the moment was. It was like seeing pure, totally devoid of taint, emotion.

"Hey Leo?" I asked, knowing he'd hate me for what I was going to ask.

"What?" he asked, lost in his plants.

"Hold that pose please?"

"Oh, no, NOT AGAIN! I REFUSE TO BE IN ANOTHER PAINTING!"

"Aw come on, LEO! You did awesome in the other one, and this is like, the perfect time to … HEY! Come back here!"

"NO!"

A/N: I just felt like writing a short side story. I'd always wondered what Leo could possibly do in his spare time besides piss of Raph, practice, read ancient history, or any of the other things I've read or seen him do. I think horticulture is a nice twist to his personality. It's also pretty calming too! Anyway, R&R so I'll be inspired to write more, or even draw everything I've described insofar.

Thank'ee!

Mikaela's Spade


End file.
